Police probe major
fire at timber yard
by David Skentelbery
POLICE at Warrington are investigating a major fire which left a disused timber yard devastated.
Intruders are believed to have broken into the timber yard off Chester Road, Lower Walton and set fire to stacks of wood.
A two-storey building, measuring about 20 yards square, was also well alight.
Chester Road, between the Stag Inn, Walton and Gainsborough Road, Warrington was sealed off while four fire engines ? one an aerial appliance sent from Chester ? tackled the blaze.
The road was only re-opened in the early hours of the morning after the blaze was completely extinguished.
. The fire started sometime between 6pm and 8pm on Wednesday evening. Fire crews from Warrington. Stockton Heath and Chester were involved in an all-night operation to extinguish the flames.
A police spokesman said: ?This was a serious incident and we are anxious to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious on Wednesday evening.
?It would appear that intruders cut through a padlock on the gates to the premises and then set fire to the wood stock.?
Anyone who can help police is asked to call DC John Callender on 0845 458 000.
Jack is crowned
British champion
by Gary Skentelbery
A NINE-YEAR-OLD Lymm boy is celebrating after being crowned British Junior Grasstrack Champion.
Jack Cornes was crowned champion at the ACU Nationals at ASTRA last weekend.
He won pioneering the Honda CRF150R in the 200cc class in an RTS Viper Grasstrack Chassis.
Proud dad Andrew said: “This is the icing on the cake for his 2007 season adding to his many wins, including the Yorkshire Club Championship, The Cornwall Grand Slam, The White Rose Championship, plus numerous top three podium finishes across the country including runner-up with his partner in the ACU National Best Pairs Championship.”
His younger brother Max, aged seven, also races and both boy’s have done really well this season picking up many wins across the country.
Andrew added: “To win the British Championship has been a great achievement to the end of the racing season.”
Meanwhile Max was 4th in his class in the British Championship but he has also a number of club titles to his name this season.
Old technical school
building to be sold
by John Hendon
TOWN Hall chiefs at Warrington have approved the selection of a ?preferred bidder? for one of the town?s most distinguished buildings, which has been for sale on the open market for more than two years.
Members of the borough council?s executive board have authorised the strategic director of corporate services to enter into an unconditional contract for the disposal of the former Technical School in Palmyra Square South.
The preferred bidder is the Armada Group Ltd.
Nearly three years ago, the council decided to vacate the building which had been used for years for office purposes ? latterly by the council?s finance department.
Two years ago they drew up a development brief as a guide to potential purchases as to what changes of use or alterations the council would be likely to allow.
A Grade Two listed building, it is sandwiched between Parr Hall and new Pyramid Arts Centre and also within the Palmyra Square Conservation Area which is now also part of the town’s designated “cultural quarter.” Planners are anxious that any future use of the building should be compatible with its surroundings.
Built in 1900, it is of highly detailed design inside and out and planners want to ensure these features are preserved.
Planning consent would not be required for office use, although listed building consent would be needed for any internal or external alterations.
The planning brief lays down conditions to ensure any conversion would have to respect the interior of the building with regard to the subdivision of the larger rooms, the retention of the ornate central staircase and other features of note.
It would also be necessary to insulate the building from noise from the Parr Hall and the Pyramid.
The building has been marketed together with undeveloped land to the south currently used for car parking for the Parr Hall and the Pyramid.
Two years ago, planners said there might be scope for limited demolition within an inner courtyard at the Technical School. This secluded area could become an open space feature, although limited rebuilding might also be a possibility.
Giant tip extension
plan set for approval?
by David Skentelbery
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to extend the giant Risley landfill site at Warrington is being recommended for approval ? only five months after it was thrown out by local councillors.
Planning officers are recommending members of the borough council?s development control committee to approve the new application by Biffa Waste Services next week.
The proposal involves an extension of the existing tip site eastwards onto adjoining high quality farm land.
Objectors ? including Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council, the CPRE, the Ramblers Association, Birchwood Town Council and the parish councils at Croft and Rixton-with-Glazebrook ? claim the scheme is almost identical to one rejected by the borough council in April.
Planning officers say there are several revisions including measures to increase recycling of commercial and industrial wastes prior to disposal, amendments to the phasing sequence, advanced planting along the southern boundary of the application area and amendments to proposals for restoring the site.
Total site area is 85 acres of which 51 lie within the existing approved Risley landfill site. The rest of it is farmland ? most of it top grade.
The proposal will extend the life of the site by two years to 2010, plus a third year for site restoration The maximum height will remain as the existing site but the crest will be extended eastwards and graded down into the extension area.
Eventually the site would be restored to woodland, scrub, rough grassland and wildflower areas, with increased public footpaths and bridleways.
The recommendation has angered members of the parish councils who say residents have had to endure 30 years of waste disposal, inconvenience, smells and litter. There is also concern at the loss of high grade agricultural land.
Nearly 100 letters of objection have been received from residents, on the grounds of odour, air pollution, health impacts, noise, dust, visual impact, litter, vermin, traffic, area been subject to 30 years of waste disposal, further encroachment into the green belt.
Planners accept there will be short term harm to the green belt but say long distance views will not be affected and the land will eventually be restored. Most tipping will take place on land already zoned for landfill and the loss of farm land will be small.
Euro MP slams the
supermarket chains
by staff reporter
WARRINGTON-based Euro MP Brian Simpson has slammed the big supermarket chains for keeping the price of dairy products high while at the same time forcing down the amount paid to farmers.
He said: ?For nearly 20 years supermarkets have been aggressively pricing milk down, resulting in a serious crisis in the dairy farming sector wich price of milk paid to farmers dropping from 25p a litre to 16p a litre.
? Now we hear allegations from the Office of Fair Trading that this untidy alliance of supermarkets and milk processors have been keeping their prices artificially high, while ripping off farmers.?
The OFT does not mention specific brands, but it is believed the five processors mentioned include Arla Foods (Lurpack and Anchor Butter) and Dairy Crest (Utterly Butterly and Cathedral City Cheese).
Supermarkets and milk processors have until the end of the year to respond to the allegations and to make representations to the OFT before a final decision is made. However, Mr
Simpson is adamant that if found guilty, severe punishment should be given out similar to that handed out recently to British Airways.
He said: ?Farmers have been complaining for years at the treatment given to them by the big supermarkets. If this investigation proves that the supermarkets and the processors have rigged the market, then that?s illegal and I would hope the punishment would be similar to that given to BA – a fine of ?121.5m.?
Police name cycle
death victim
by John Hendon
POLICE have named a Warrington man who was killed when his bicycle plunged into a seven foot ditch as he rode home from work.
He was Stephen Houghton, aged 55, well known locally as a former union representative, who was cycling home from work at IKEA with a Polish colleague.
The accident happened at about 11pm on Saturday, September 15, off Cromwell Avenue.
It is believed Mr Houghton was killed instantly when his head struck a concrete wall.
A keen hill-walker, he was a popular regular at Warrington?s Bluebell pub.
